Legalizing Gay Marriage.

It is unconstitutional to deny two adults a legal marriage. It isn't right that in this country we say that every one has the right to pursue happiness then deny them that right. In America the ideals of the nation are called into question by the very idea that gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual couples are denied something that the rest of the population is free to enjoy. It screams discrimination. In a country that is so fixed on the right of the people it is amazing that such blind religiously based hypocrisy is allow a place in the 21st century. Marriage has long been one way that couples express their love for one another and their commitment to their relationship. Despite arguments that so-called “same-sex marriage” seeks to redefine “traditional marriage,” allowing committed gay and lesbian couples to get married does not change the meaning of marriage. Gay and lesbian couples want to get married to make a lifetime commitment to the person they love and to protect their families. In America,six states plus D.C. allow same-sex couples to marry, three more respect marriages of same-sex couples validly performed in other states, nine provide civil unions or comprehensive domestic partnerships, and three more have more limited domestic partnership systems. That’s 20 states plus D.C. that provide some significant state- level relationship protections, and those states are home to 130 million people. (ACLU par 1-2)

The separation of church and state should block religion from having any influences on this cause. Does it? no. The religion of politicians and voters alike, the religious views of the nation's so called majority keep the wheels of progress from turning for gay rights. Luckily for this community things are looking up. The United Methodist Church has recently received a lot of attention due to its acceptance of the gay and lesbian community, and while some embrace the change others have abandoned progress with fear and loathing. The church recently gathered its representatives in Tampa to discuss the big issues being faced this year, among those issues, “[d]elegates also will consider more than 1,100 legislative petitions on subjects including gay clergy. Currently, the church does not ordain gay and lesbian pastors nor recognize same-sex marriage” (Whitman par 8). Hopefully this church will begin to move forward in its policies, paving the way for other religious institutions to do the same. And maybe if the churches are willing to let go of the prejudices, the politicians will too. Politicians need to look at the constitutional rights of LGBT community and stop the legal discrimination. As several states are jumping on the legalize gay marriage band wagon we can only hope that things will continue to move forward. The real shame in this country now is that for a legal marriage, many couples will have to travel out of state for there ceremony to just be legal, adding extra stress to a time that should be the happiest of their lives. “After New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Marriage Equality Bill on June 24, legalizing marriage for same sex couples in New York, many couples have already begun planning their weddings” (gaycenter.org). Rather than having to bring friends and family to a different state for their union, New York same-sex couples can marry in there home state. A right that every LGBT community member should be allowed. The issue is not just one of rights, it is one of lives. In recent years the news has been buzzing with stories of kids being bullied because of the sexual orientation. The support for these kids is growing, all of the “It Gets Better” videos and blogs have influenced for good. But what is the good of these influences if our own government doesn't even recognize the equality of all of it's citizens, how is a gay child to feel when their own government doesn't truly accept them. "There